


Stille Nacht

by Maya_Koppori



Category: Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, these poor children miss their parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-25 07:58:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4952584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maya_Koppori/pseuds/Maya_Koppori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas time at the zoological society, and everyone's getting letters from home. One in particular isn't received very well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stille Nacht

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gabethebabe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabethebabe/gifts).



"And don't bother sticking around!" Deryn slammed the door as hard as she could and latched it, breathing hard. Her head fell to the wood with a thunk, eyes squeezed shut. She was not going to cry. 

She listened for her boyfriend outside, expecting a curse or running footsteps. What she heard, however, was a long, drawn out sigh and the sound of fabric against wood as Aleksander plopped himself down against her door. Of course. 

Deryn's lips quirked up for an instant in spite of herself. What a dummkopf. She turned her own back to the wood and sat, glaring at her quarters. The presents she'd gotten for her friends sat, forgotten, on her bed. How dare they be decorated for Christmas while she was angry?

Slowly, she pulled the letter out of her inner breast pocket and read it again. And again, and again until the words all ran together and only one line stood out. 

"I'll tell mam Merry Christmas for you, Middy Sharp."

The words, meant as a comfort, cut her deep. Her brother, a regular soldier, could go home for Christmas. Why couldn't a member of the Zoological society do the same?

"Are you kidding?" Alek had said when she brought it up in the commons room. He lowered his voice and continued, "You're something of a secret agent now, Deryn. Why do you think Dr. Barlow doesn't visit her husband? Letting alone the matter of your identity, there's too much of a chance of something happening to you and the Society's secrets."

"But I haven't seen my family since I enlisted," she had protested. 

Alek had shrugged, turning back to his book. "You can send them a post card."

Deryn hugged her knees and choked back a sob. A post card? That heartless prince. For Darwin's sake, it was Christmas! Of all the times to crack jokes... It was just like a Clanker! Deryn itched to have something to do, preferably someone to hit. Well, she could always go at it with Alek again. Remind him how a soldier punched. Her knuckles clenched over her knees, and she listened. 

Gradually, Deryn became aware of a soft melody wafting under the crack in her door. 

"Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Alles schläft; einsam wacht..." Alek sang lowly, barely audible. 

Tears sprang to Deryn's eyes. Even in Clanker, she recognized her mam's favorite hymn immediately. She joined in tentatively, forgetting her previous thoughts. She didn't have the best voice, but as she sang along with Alek it didn't matter. She leaned back against the door, facing the ceiling. 

"Round yon virgin mother and child."

"Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar."

Deryn smiled as she sang, "Sleep in heavenly peace."

"Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh."

They continued through the whole song, their languages mingling and twining in the space between them. Deryn sang and imagined that her family was singing with her, smiling at the thought. Jaspert had a decent voice, as he'd already settled into it. Mam was shrill, but had good ears. Da's voice had been smooth and deep as honey from the bees in the Leviathan's gut. 

Da... Deryn sent out a silent prayer with her song. Christmas without him had been hard, and it still was, but Deryn noticed that it was getting easier. 

But what of Alek? Deryn sat bolt upright again and missed a whole line. Barking spiders... SHE was the dummkopf. She sprang up and yanked the door open. 

Alek shouted and fell on his back, only his daft princely head in her room. His eyes, green and vulnerable, blinked up at her through the tears gathered there. "Deryn- I mean, Dylan- what-?"

Deryn got down on her knees and pressed her forehead to his, stroking the tears from his cheeks with her fingers. The sudden proximity caught Alek off guard, but didn't stop him from leaning into the touch. 

"I'm sorry," Deryn whispered. "I wasn't thinking at all." She pulled Alek into her arms and hugged him tight. "Here I am whining about how I can't hop a boat to Glasgow, and you're missing your own mam and da."  

Alek clutched at her shirt, at once needing and giving comfort. "It's my fault," he mumbled. "I was being a- a bumrag about it because it's my first Christmas without them. But I didn't mean it."

"I know." Deryn sighed, smiling. "You wouldn't have chased me all the way here if you did." She glanced up and grinned. She'd forgotten about the surprise she'd planned before this whole mess.  "Hey, how do you say Merry Christmas in Clanker?"

"Frohe Weihnachten," Alek answered. "Why?" He followed her gaze and only caught a glimpse of the tiny plant tied to a nail above the doorframe before Deryn kissed him urgently, knocking him down again. She started to pull back, anticipating his princely prudishness, but he reciprocated, emboldened by her earnestness, and dared to reach up and hold her closer by the collar of her shirt. Deryn smirked into the kiss, half pinning Alek with her weight. 

Someone nearby cleared their throat. "Ahem." 

Their lips sprang apart as both found themselves watched by a curious perspicacious loris and it's handler. 

"Frohe Weihnachten," Bovril repeated, eyes wide as saucers. 

Dr. Barlow clucked her tongue. "Indeed. Mr. Sharp, if you and Mr. Hohenburg intend to, ah, celebrate, you may wish to do so in private. Master Klopp and Count Volger are not far behind me."

Deryn's cheeks went awash with flame, as did Alek's. "A-Aye, ma'am. Sorry to disturb you."

The boffin smiled and inclined her head. "Not at all. Merry Christmas, Dylan. Alek."

"And to you, madam," was Alek's automatic response. 

As Bovril and Dr. Barlow continued on their way, Deryn pulled Alek to his feet. "Ah," she noted. "Your tie's all crooked." 

Alek flushed again and swallowed quickly. "I think I'll live if it stays that way for a bit."

Deryn raised an eyebrow. "Are you being fresh with me, your princeliness?" 

Alek only pointed a finger up at the mistletoe. "Are you in any position to tell me that I am?"

This time, it was Deryn who was grabbing at collars. "Frohe Weihnachten, Aleksander."

Alek laughed as she led him into her room. "Merry Christmas, Deryn."

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Dylan last year and figured it deserved a place on here. It took me a long time to find, mainly because I had saved it under "For the bae" instead of an actual title. Thanks for reading!


End file.
